Jonkvrouw Joan

Jonkrouw Joan, lord of the Great Gangrene Manor, belongs to the proud van Steinboch clan. Her great-great-great-great grandmother was knighted for her chivalrous bravery during the wars against the Arachnidions. Ever since then the van Steinbochs’ had been exempt from taxation, and they had in return pledged their perpetual and unrestricted allegiance to the cause of the empire. Lately, protracted wars against the numerous rebellious fractions had eroded the imperial finances. To address this problem, empress Napoleia withdrew all promises of tax exemption for the noble class. This in turn led Jonkvrouw Joan to revise her interpretation of the concept of hereditary perpetual allegiance, leading her to accede to the rebellious forces.

Numerous were the battles in which Jonkvrouw Joan triumphantly led her troops to victory, but eventually she and her faithful doe Ruth were captured in an ambush and brought as prisoners to the imperial court.